The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ensured jobs for 58 such people under its Aadhar Project, implemented through the urban poverty eradication cell. The programme saw three months of free training for youths and women living below the poverty line, with jobs guaranteed on completion. The course, which ended on Saturday, resulted in 58 placements in customer relations (salespersons at malls and big retail shops), hospitality (waiters or cashiers at food joints), IT-enabled services and hospitals (beds and patients).

Ashish Dhupkar, 19, son of a domestic help, started work at Kentucky Fried Chicken last week. “Only I know how important this is for me. My mother has worked very hard to raise and educate me,” said the second year B Com student from Guru Nanak College. He took hospitality training. “I would have never been able to afford such a course.”

A total of 77 students had enrolled. “A few dropped out due to family problems or to concentrate on studies,” said Medha Joshi, project co-coordinator, All India Local Self Government (AILSG), which is helping the civic body and providing training to candidates.

The candidates have got jobs in KFC, Resort Hotel, Mod, Pan Food India (hospitality); Landmark, Shopper’s Stop, Star Bazar, Reliance Fresh, Mod (customer relations service); Landmark and Reliance (IT-enabled services).

Priyanka Nervankar, who has just passed HSC, said she would be scared of talking to strangers. “Today I can talk confidently to anyone. I was always interested in computers but never thought of a job,” said the teenager, who joins Landmark next week.

Aruna Ranawade (29) too was low on confidence. She has passed HSC but could never speak English; now she manages broken phrases. “My family has six people and two, including my husband, are the breadwinners. Now I too can pool in some money,” said the Malad Kasambaug resident, shortlisted as a salesperson for Reliance.

The BMC started the training centre at Andheri. It had carried out a job mapping survey to identify which sectors needed hands. It tied up with Dr Reddy’s Foundation for IT-enabled services and training in basic English and personality development. A tie-up with the Confederation of Indian Industry helped guarantee jobs.